CRANBURY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pharmacy Times® and Parata Systems, founding partners of the Next-Generation Pharmacist® awards, congratulate the 2017 winners named at an award gala held Aug. 19 at the San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California.

“Contributions from these pharmacy leaders and others like them ensure the health of our fellow Americans and a future of enduring advances in the pharmacy industry.”

Jeffrey Goad, PharmD, MPH, professor and pharmacy practice chairman of the Chapman University School of Pharmacy in Irvine, California, received the evening’s top honor: 2017 Next-Generation Pharmacist®. Goad will be featured on the cover of the August 2017 issue of Pharmacy Times®, which will contain a profile of his contributions to the industry. The cover was unveiled at the award ceremony, and on display at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores-Trade Store Expo held this week.

“Congratulations to all our 2017 Next-Generation Pharmacist® finalists and winners,” said DJ Dougherty, CEO of Parata. “One of the most exciting elements of the Next-Generation Pharmacist® program is the sense of community it creates among leaders driving change in the industry. This year’s awards recipients — representing the best and brightest in pharmacy — are joining a group of more than 200 outstanding pharmacy professionals who have been recognized since 2010.”

Next-Generation Pharmacist® nominations surpassed 530 entries across 10 award categories. An independent panel of esteemed judges evaluated all entries for adherence to professional standards, experience related to each category, and advancement of the profession. The three highest scoring entries in each category were named finalists and the top-scoring entry was named the category winner. The overall Next-Generation Pharmacist® was selected from among the winners of the eight pharmacist categories.

“This year’s Next-Generation Pharmacist® finalists are the pharmacy leaders of today who embody our standards of innovation and inspiration in pharmacy and represent the future vision of the profession,” said Pharmacy Times® editor-in-chief Troy Trygstad, PharmD, Ph.D., MBA. “We congratulate this diverse group of gifted men and women and celebrate all their accomplishments across a wide range of practice settings.”

The 2017 Next-Generation Pharmacist® Jeffrey Goad is an accomplished practitioner and leader in the field of pharmacy, immunizations, and travel medicine, committed to making a positive impact on the lives of patients. In addition to his work at Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Goad is the first pharmacist to become president of the California Immunization Coalition and the first North American pharmacist to be selected as a fellow in the International Society of Travel Medicine.

“I consider training thousands of pharmacists and pharmacy students to provide lifesaving vaccines to people of all ages and helping to stimulate the growth of pharmacist-based travel health services in the United States to be my greatest accomplishments,” said Goad. “As pharmacists expand their role, they will become the most valuable health care team member in all settings. In the future, I envision pharmacists as medication therapy providers for all patients, and pharmacies as immunization, wellness, and self-treatment centers. Pharmacists will dispense care, not drugs.”

Video of Goad accepting his award can be seen below:

“Year after year we continue to be inspired and impressed by the ingenuity of all our Next-Generation Pharmacist® award nominees, finalists, and winners and their commitment to helping patients lead healthier lives. This year is no exception,” said Brian Haug, president of Pharmacy Healthcare & Communications LLC, a franchise of Michael J. Hennessy Associates Inc., which publishes Pharmacy Times®. “Contributions from these pharmacy leaders and others like them ensure the health of our fellow Americans and a future of enduring advances in the pharmacy industry.”

Technology Innovator: Kim Roberts, PharmD, Community Care of North Carolina

For more information, visit nextgenpharmacist.com, and for regular updates, follow Next-Generation Pharmacist® on Twitter and Facebook.

About Parata Systems, LLC
Parata Systems provides pharmacy technology solutions that empower pharmacists to elevate their role and help people lead healthier lives. Founded in Durham, North Carolina, in 2001, Parata is trusted by thousands of pharmacies throughout the United States and beyond. For more information, visit parata.com.

About Pharmacy Times®
Pharmacy Times® is the leading media resource for pharmacists and the pharmacy industry, providing practical clinical and professional information pharmacists can use in their everyday practices when counseling patients and interacting with other health care providers. Each issue and the website contain articles and features covering industry trends, medication errors, drug interactions, patient education, disease state management, patient counseling, product news, pharmacy law and more. Additionally, Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. Pharmacy Times® is part of Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc., a full-service health care communications company offering education, research and medical media. For more information, visit pharmacytimes.com.